Two Helena residents used public comment time at the March 23 Helena City Commission meeting to challenge what they described as a rushed and non-transparent move toward repealing a citizen-led resolution — before the state has responded to the city's formal information request and before commissioners have seen a written legal analysis.

The resolution, Resolution 21-1062, memorializes city policy when federal immigration enforcement is present in Helena. It was adopted at a January 26 meeting that drew nearly 300 people in person and approximately 200 participants online — a record for a Helena City Commission meeting, according to speakers.

Speaker Lily Clark, a resident with a 59601 zip code, called the apparent move toward repeal an "embarrassment" to the commission's stated commitment to civic engagement. She noted the city had publicly defended the resolution as recently as February before unnamed city staff began recommending repeal. Clark directly addressed Commissioner Sean Logan by name, arguing that failing to listen to taxpayers creates greater risk than potential state litigation. She also cited the city's history of drawing on its general fund during a traffic violation lawsuit and said the city's liability fund grew from $65,000 in 2021 to $147,000 in 2022, framing the cost of standing by the resolution as a "statement of values."

A second speaker, Ashley Fischer, focused on what she called a mismatch between the staff recommendation and the actual legal concern. Montana Attorney General Knudson's office, she said, raised concerns about only Sections 2 and 3 of the resolution — not a full repeal. Fischer called scrapping the entire resolution "a slap in the face" to Helena residents, the Helena Police Department, and the city attorney who drafted it.

Both speakers also questioned the role of an outside attorney whose identity and recommendation — full repeal — were disclosed by the city attorney during a Wednesday administrative meeting before public comment.

The commission did not respond substantively to the public comments. A special meeting was scheduled for Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. at the Civic Center to address the resolution.

City Attorney Rebecca Doctor confirmed to Commissioner Reid that no written legal analysis would be distributed to commissioners or the public before the Thursday session. Outside counsel Tasha Jones of Missoula has been retained to represent Helena in the Attorney General's investigation and negotiated a deadline extension past Wednesday for the city's formal response.

Mayor Dean, in her closing remarks, framed the matter as a question of local self-governance and publicly invited Attorney General Knudson to "come and have a conversation with us to find a path forward."